The job of police officers has inevitably changed in lots of ways over the last 60 years or so. Some roles remain the same - like investigating murders or post office raids.
But, as these pictures from the Evening News archives show, such tasks as directing the traffic used to be a key part of policing work.
And of course there were protests and demonstrations to be dealt with too.
Scroll through these fascinating old photos and see what police work was like in the 1950s and 1960s.
17. Murder investigation in Wallyford
Police and police dogs at Albert Crescent in Wallyford to investigate the murder of Mrs Duncan in February 1968. | TSPL Photo: Crauford Tait
18. Royal Mile post office raid
Police investigating a raid on the Holyrood Post Office in the Canongate, Edinburgh, in March 1969 | TSPL Photo: Ian Porteous
19. Springboks at Murrayfield
Police keep an eye on anti-apartheid demonstrators at a Scotland v Springboks game at Murrayfield in December 1969. | TSPL Photo: TSPL
20. Searching Water of Leith
Police and police dogs search the Water of Leith after the discovery of body parts on the railway line at Corstorphine in Edinburgh in March 1969. The victim of what came to be known as the torso murder was later identified as Elizabeth Keenan and the accused James Keenan. | TSPL Photo: Crauford Tait